About Loryn Dion

Loryn is a senior at Grand Canyon University in Applied Management and Business. She has previously earned her Associates in Communications from Bristol Community College. She realized that she had a skill for writing and a passion for agriculture through her time in the FFA, writing speeches and workshops and learning about agriculture and conservation. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing and enjoying Vermont scenery. She also loves being outside, walking, hiking and staying involved with the agricultural community.

My Review of The Fan House

Normally, the beginning of the work week for any nine-to-five worker goes the same way: coffee, exhaustion and melancholy over the end of the weekend. This week was different. I felt quite rejuvenated and ready for the week ahead. Why, you ask? During the Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival this past weekend in Woodstock, Vermont (blog post to follow soon) I was able to stay at the lovely Fan House, a bed and breakfast in Barnard, Vermont.

Now, I should say that with being an FFA member, I am well-versed in hotel stays. I actually enjoy staying in hotels and take pleasure in having a little break away from my own bed. But this was my first time staying at a B&B, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Do I have to check in? (you don’t.) Should I bring my own towels? (You don’t.) What I received was much better than anything I could have hoped for. Beautifully decorated rooms, luxurious linens, countless amenities and locally-sourced, delicious meals in the morning make the Fan House the perfect getaway for a weekend in the Green Mountains. Or should I say colorful mountains because with fall foliage just beginning, the hills surrounding Barnard were alive with shades of red, orange and yellow.

Sara Widness, steward of the Fan House, was welcoming and kind, a great example of Vermont hospitality that I’ve come to love. I grew up in the city, so being welcomed into a strangers home for the weekend and having them make my bed and serve me meals was a very new experience. Sara was a pleasure to talk with in the morning during breakfast and had great knowledge about the “must-see” places in the area. The Fan House felt like being at home. It was comfortable and peaceful, which was exactly what I needed this weekend.

Each room has it’s own antique feel with comfy quilts, artfully-aged furniture and subtle decor. The three upstairs bedrooms each have their own private bathrooms so I slept peacefully through the night without any interruptions. Each morning during our planned breakfasts, I met and conversed with people who were all travelling to Vermont for different purposes. One morning we sat and enjoyed Sara’s wonderful corn pancakes and oatmeal with yogurt and then ventured outside to enjoy the sun rising over the red hills. I also got to meet (and play with) Sara’s canine housemate, Happy Chappy, who served as a joyous greeter to The Fan House. But to all of those non-dog-lovers, Chappy stays in his own part of the house and only comes out if the rest of the guests are okay with his company.

In summary, The Fan House made a fan out of me. I don’t think I could ever look at a hotel room the same way again.

Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival 2013

Happy Autumn VWS blog followers! Sunday was the first day of fall and we’re already starting to see the leaves changing and the humidity leaving. It looks like we are going to have a beautiful weekend here in Vermont, so you may be looking for some activities to get you out of the house and enjoying all of Vermont’s offerings. Why not try heading to Woodstock, VT for the Tenth Annual Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival this September 28th and 29th.

There will be entertainment for all at the festival this year. Named a Summer/Fall 2013 Vermont Vacation Guide’s Picks for Kids by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the festival offers live music, local food, Vermont furniture & wood products for sale, and demonstrations from the areas most talented woodworkers. The show began as a simple idea to showcase the world-class talent and skill in the woodworking industry right here in Vermont. Beginning as a simple woodworking competition in 1996, the Vermont Fine Furniture Festival has grown into a full-scale show, now celebrating its tenth year.

The main theme this year is “From Vermont’s Working Landscape to Your Home”. If you think about it, that’s exactly what we offer here at Vermont Woods Studios and what we showcase at Stonehurst. Beautiful, handcrafted furniture made from Vermont’s working landscape to brighten and liven up your home.

The festival also joins with the annual forest festival where you can make your own walking stick, take a horse drawn carriage ride through the forest, hike through the woods with a park ranger, tour the mansion and gardens and watch woodcraft demonstrations.

Douglas and I will be at the Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival at booth 15, talking about our furniture and showcasing a few of our pieces. Stop in and say hello or come and learn about what Vermont Woods Studios can offer you!

Adding Susan Osgood to the Woods

A few weeks ago, Peggy wrote a blog about her chance meeting with Brattleboro artist Susan Osgood. Susan is an archaeologist by day and a painter by night, so her pieces all have character and a story. When Peggy told us about Susans work, we were intrigued and knew we had to get her work on our walls. So Douglas and I went up to meet Susan and pick out a few pieces to add to the showroom.

She certainly didn’t make the decision very easy on us. Susan does all of her painting right out of her home and showcases paintings throughout her house. Susan picked out a variety of paintings for us to choose from including small gallery-wrapped pieces to some larger ones in wood-framed glass and even a few painted on actual Egyptian graffiti! I personally fell in love with the graffiti art. It feels like we’re bringing a piece of history into our showroom. I’m hoping that our customers will love Susan Osgood Egyptian paintings as much as I do.

We ended up picking out nine exquisite pieces to display throughout the showroom. We choose pieces that we thought would look best displayed with our furniture. With our art consignments, we’re attempting to create a look that our customers will be able to identify with and want to create in their own homes. With our Vermont-made furniture, art, housewares and linens, we’re developing our showroom into the ideal, artistic Vermont home.

What other types of art would you like to see here at Stonehurst? Let us know on Facebook!

Welcoming Janet Picard to the Walls of Stonehurst!

You may have noticed from our past blogs that a lot is happening here at Stonehurst. New driveways, new furniture, new landscapes and new… art? One of the areas we have been exploring for our showroom is displaying beautiful, handmade pieces from artists across Southern Vermont. It’s our belief that our customers love the beauty and elegance of our handmade furniture, so showcasing our furniture with paintings and sculptures that evoke the same feelings just makes sense.

One of the artists that I had the chance to meet with this week and who will be showcasing her paintings in the months to come is Janet Picard. I discovered Janet’s work while browsing through a few artist groups located in the Brattleboro area. The pieces above really stuck out to me because it seemed to capture everything I love about Vermont’s forests.

Janet uses bright colors and expressionistic strokes to create unusual yet realistic paintings of landscapes, forests and flowers. Janet’s art is beautiful to look at and is a modern take on a traditional style of painting. Janet describes her paintings as “merging actual places with imagined visions.” After chatting with Janet for a while on Tuesday, Douglas and I agree that Janet will make a fine addition to our showroom and we think our customers will agree.

Janet has a showroom of her own at her studio in West Brattleboro right behind the Chelsea Royal Diner. Speaking of which, when she’s not spreading oil on canvas you can find her making ice cream for Chelsea Royal, which she and her partner own. If you haven’t been there yet, it’s worth stopping. Their menu features ingredients grown right on their own farm! They have free-range chickens, grass-fed beef and some very well fed pigs. What better way to absorb Vermont culture than to enjoy a plate of locally-produced cuisine and then take-in some gorgeous, Vermont inspired art.

We’re so excited to have Janet’s work gracing the walls of Stonehurst! She’s just one of a few artists that you’ll be able to see on display when you come to visit our fine furniture showroom. Stop by and check it out or be on the look-out for the arts section of our website, coming soon!

I’m thinking we’ll put Janet’s pieces up right here! What do you think?

Strolling of the Heifers Weekend

They came. They strolled. And they looked fabulous. This weekend, a few members of the Green Team represented VWS at the Strolling of the Heifers parade. This being my first “stroll”, I was excited to see what sights and antics Brattleboro had in store.

The parade featured floats and displays from local businesses and organizations from around southeastern Vermont. Each one had a unique theme that tied into the agricultural theme of the event. One of my favorite ideas was from Edward Jones Investments with the slogan “How’s Your Nest Egg Doing?” with a float that was decorated with some live chickens and eggs. There was also a float for an organization that is near and dear to my heart: a local FFA chapter. And of course, there were plenty of heifers. Their handlers dressed each heifer in beads, flowers and bright colors to match this years Strolling of the Heifers theme, “Running of the Bulls meets Mardi Gras.”

Representing the FFA! I walked in many parades and shows as a member, but never in a cow suit!

After the parade was over, the crowd all flooded to The Common to scored some “Strolling Swag” and free gifts from more local businesses. One exhibit in the event was the Woodlands exhibit, which we were a part of. Groups offered educational exhibits and demonstrations about forestry, logging, conservation, invasive species and, of course, the final product of effective forest harvesting, furniture. Vermont Woods Studios shared a tent with Wood-Net, represented by woodworker Rick Gravelin. We showcased our sustainable outdoor POLYWOOD furniture, while Rick displayed a beautiful assortment of handmade, wooden clocks and watches. Michelle, Peggy and I had so much fun talking with local residents about our furniture and where it comes from and boasting about our new Vernon showroom. Michelle even got to talk about our solid wood dining furniture with Peter Welch, a Vermont Congressman.

Did you attend the Stroll this weekend? Or does your town have a local agricultural fair you enjoy? Tell us about it here or on our Facebook wall!

Every year, the stroll has special “sweepers” that follow the end of the parade to clean up the inevitable messes that heifers make. I thought it would be fitting for the sweepers to follow this blog too.